PAISLEY Park (Oscar) continued his relentless gallop towards the Cheltenham Festival last weekend when he won the Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle at the famous track, adding to his December success in the Grade 1 JLT Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot. Placed on his only outing in a bumper, he was won five of his eight starts over hurdles and been runner-up twice.
Bred by Mike Conaghan at his Evergreen Stud in Bruff, Co Limerick, Paisley Park is easily the best of the six winning offspring from Presenting Shares (Presenting). That mare did not race and changed hands as a foal at Tattersalls Ireland in 1999 for only IR£550.
She is also the dam of prolific winners Henry King (Great Palm) and Va’vite (Vinnie Roe), while her most recent winner is the five-year-old Present Value (Gold Well) who was runner-up on his debut before winning a maiden hurdle at Chepstow with some ease just after Christmas. He looks progressive and is trained by Evan Williams.
Last year Presenting Shares had her first foal since Present Value was born, a filly by Soldier Of Fortune (Galileo) and was covered by Malinas (Lomitas).
THYESTES SUCCESS
Presenting Shares was born a year before the best of her siblings, Preists Leap (Luso). He won for the first time over hurdles as a five-year-old and enjoyed his last success in a point-to-point at the age of 13. In between he won the Grade 1 Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park in 2008 and 2009, the second back-to-back winner of the race.
Preists Leap was the best winner for Royal Shares (Royal Fountain) and she had a pair of siblings who won on the racecourse and another pair who were successful between the flags.
They were all out of Four Shares (The Parson) who won a point-to-point on her way to four wins over hurdles and two victories over fences. She was a full-sister to Book Of Gold (The Parson) and their dam was a half-sister to Official (Dignitary) who won the Challow Hurdle (now Grade 1) and a successful National Hunt stallion.